~ In the Shadow of the Rock

Important Things

Often we first see the vision off in the distance with what looks like obstacles.

Today’s Topic: What’s the most important thing you’re putting off? And why haven’t you done it yet? What do you need to make it happen?

Has God ever given you a vision of who you are, who you are meant to be, and what He wants to accomplish in your life? How did you respond? This has been a theme among the sacred echoes that I have been hearing from multiple sources lately. I enjoy starting my day with several short devotionals – a jumping point to get my mind and my heart in gear to hear from the Lord. I am sometimes inspired to go to a specific passage of Scripture, or to spend time before the Lord on a specific issue in my life that needs His touch, or to intercede for my sisters and brothers in specific ways.

And sometimes, He brings me back to the vision He began to reveal to me over three decades ago. (Just admitting that makes me wonder if I am really as stubborn and clueless as Moses! Am I on his 40-years of preparation track?) Over the past few years that vision has been becoming more and more clear, with more details being revealed and a growing understanding. I wish I could say that I always immediately recognize the revelation as soon as it is given, but that would not be a true statement. It often requires refining and weaving and bringing together pieces that I did not realize belong together. Little by little, the puzzle is coming together.

I am encouraged and discouraged at the same time. I wonder what conflicting voices cause that? (I hope you hear the sarcasm in that question.) For a long time, I mostly heard the discouraging voice – you know: Why are you so slow? Will you ever get it right? Anybody else would have figured this out years ago! What makes you think God would even speak to you, much less use you for His purposes? Do you ever hear those voices?

But the tide is beginning to turn. One of the big turning points for me was when I (begrudgingly) followed the Lord’s leading and went back to school and finished my college education. Crazy, huh? I was so very reluctant and went dragging my feet and fighting the whole idea. I was 45 for crying out loud. I had six kids still at home. I was a single mom. I really didn’t like school. And what was I going to do? I only wanted to be home with my kids, homeschooling again, and I was angry with my former husband for his cruelty and shortsightedness in forcing the kids into public school. But, as Joseph said to his own brothers who had sold him into slavery, what men meant for evil, God intended for good!

And good it was indeed! Turns out I loved being in school and learning and I excelled. Experience and life provide a very useful tool when it comes to learning. My direction for schooling changed multiple times and I wound up writing my own degree in the most liberal college at an extremely liberal state university. And my degree was based on Proverbs 24 – how is that for irony?! And some people doubt God’s sense of humor!

There was a huge jump in the further revelation of the vision during that five years. I learned so much about myself, about my relationship with the Lord, about learning, and about communicating effectively. And then… another stall. Time to learn the application of the principles. Time to do some more refining. Time for more life lessons – time to know where God still needed to apply His healing and His redemption.

Process and journey. Cycles. The patience and faithfulness of God exhibited over and over again.

So, are you wondering what all this has to do with the topic of the day? I have to admit, it is a bit scary to think that God might actually fulfill the vision and make the dream come true. There are still times when I do drag my feet. What if…? There are still many negative voices ready to fill in multiple answers to that question.

What do I need to make it happen? There is only one simple answer: faith! Faith that believes that the One Who gave the vision is the One Who will make it happen. Faith that takes each step as it is revealed and then listens for the next one. Faith that believes God in every circumstance. Faith that refuses to the listen to those voices that deny His goodness and His faithfulness.

Faith that pleases God. That is what I need.

And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. Hebrews 11:6

What about you?

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2 thoughts on “Important Things”

I’ve been wrestling with the faith issue and turning off “those” voices all day today. As we’re in the final count-down before my men head out for their service trip to Israel, I’m getting increasingly nervous and excitedly overjoyed at the same time. In 11 days, I take them to the airport and send them off for the entire month of February and we have no idea how certain things are going to play out here at home in that time. This is the culmination of a vision birthed in us 3 or 4 years ago (maybe 5 years ago now?). This past year this part of the vision has been so strong, so bright, so intense that sometimes it’s overwhelming! But this is only a small part of the whole and to be honest, I’m not entirely sure how the whole plays out or even where. There’s just a vague understanding of a general trajectory, He’ll establish each step along the way as He always has. Looking back at the path He’s brought us on this far is simply amazing, a complete blessing and the people who knew us before are stunned. It can ONLY be the King of Kings Who has brought us to where we are! I’m expecting this season (however long a season is) will produce another stunning step. While all this stretching and growing is good, sometimes it keeps me up at night nursing the beginnings of an ulcer. LOL

With that said, your entry today is encouraging for me. 🙂 Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I have seen a similar pattern in my own life – a season for learning the lessons, a season for applying those lessons, then a season of refining and development before starting the process over again. None of us are ‘perfected’ overnight just like Israel wasn’t brought to The Land by the short route, all because our learning is a process – a journey. It’s like our children when they are small. They so desperately WANT to crawl and they have a good handle on all the foundational processes and they know what needs to be done, it’s both frustrating and exhilarating when they only accomplish a small part of the whole. But soon, they’ve mastered crawling and are so delighted by it. Then one day they realize, “Hey – walking!” and it’s the same frustrating, growing, developing process all over again. It’s the process.

I’m glad to know that we’re both moving forward in our journeys with fear & trepidation. 🙂 It’s not that I’m afraid that He can’t or won’t, for me personally I’m nervous that maybe we’re overstepping (which I guess ultimately is a fear that He can’t or won’t). Then I remember that we serve a Mighty Creator King, the King of the Universe. Nothing is too small or too big for Him. May He be glorified and honored beyond anything I can think or imagine!! wow.

Thanks for the opportunity to ramble my thoughts with your prompting. Through it I’ve found that strength to step out of the boat today – I’ve been searching for it all day long. With Him, I can leap over a wall!!!!

Thank you, Lisa, for the rambling of your thoughts and for stepping out of the boat. And thanks for the encouragement your sharing brings.
All the best as you face the uncertainties of walking in faith and seeing God work beyond your thoughts and your imagination!

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